God-likeness, how can we get it?

Believers are infused with His presence, His Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

Do you know that as a born again child of God you bear the presence of God? As His child, you have His presence, His Holy Spirit, living in you. His life flows through you. Infused with His Spirit. God-likeness.

Jesus shared their close connection with Him when He described believers as branches and He the vine in John chapter 15. God, the Father, is the vinedresser. Jesus is the source of all we need for life and godliness. Everything we need. He left nothing out. All we need we get from Jesus just like a branch draws all it needs from the vine. The branch does not live on its own. See Lifetime Guarantee by John Woodward.

If we insist on our own way, we won’t bear His presence, but our selfish essence. That doesn’t sound so good, does it? Who is the source of all selfishness? Yes, you are right. Satan. We definitely don’t want to bear his presence.

It is our choice.

It is easy to forget whose we are, and who we live for. It takes a decision on our part. Who will we live for? Ourselves? Our Shepherd and Overseer of our souls? Upon awakening, we can tell ourselves who we are living for each day. Decision time. Self-centered? God-centered? Bear His presence? God-like.

That’s what Jesus meant when He said to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow Him.

As God transforms our mind, we become more and more conformed to the image of His Son.  Over time His presence infuses different areas of our life. We are multifaceted beings who have many experiences and will experience more.  Each experience is an opportunity for our vinedresser to prune and make us conformed to the image of His Son. Like the Father.

This is what the Bible calls sanctification.

When we are born again, we instantly stand justified in His presence.  Then we are set apart for Him which may be termed positional sanctification. The rest of our lives we undergo progressive sanctification, the ongoing transformation as our Father conforms us to the image of His Son. Throughout that lifetime process, we experience a greater and greater joy as we submit to His pruning. He removes stuff from us that is ungodly and robs us of His joy and peace. Sometimes it may seem painful, but the result of each pruning is more joy and more peace.  More fulfillment. God-like.

Words to light your path-

1 Corinthians 3:16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

2 Corinthians 4:11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

Father in heaven, help us to bring honor to Your name by allowing You to live through us. Remind us that we carry Your spirit in our being bringing peace, joy, and love and freeing us from every kind of bondage. Thank You so much.